Ruth lived in contrast to her time. Born into a wealthy, faith-filled family, she had all the auspices of privilege afforded to her. Yet she knew her call was to the mission field and not set in the role of debutante.

She graduated from Toronto Bible College (now Tyndale University), and continued on to the University of North Dakota and the University of Oklahoma, where she studied linguistics.

In an era when women were denied opportunities in church leadership, Ruth scaled the obstacles of the church’s restrictions into the mission field.

She worked in the Amazon jungle among the Kayapo Tribe, arriving there at the age of 25 in 1965. The Kayapo were a warrior culture, a people known to kill those who trespassed on their land, but hey taught her their language and customs while she worked with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Her work would lay the foundation for literacy among the tribe.

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